Free screenings for prostate cancer are available to men in Utah throughout September. As September is National Prostate Awareness Month, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Utah Cancer Action Network (UCAN) are encouraging men 40 years and older to talk to their doctor about prostate cancer screening options.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. It typically strikes with no symptoms and in 2006, will kill an estimated 27,350 men in the United States. Nearly 150 of those will be Utahns. “The key in this disease is early detection,” said Steven N. Gange, M.D., F.A.C.S. of the Western Urological Clinic and chair of UCAN. “Early stage prostate cancer is very curable.”

According to the American Cancer Society, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Prostate cancer rates have continued to increase, but at slower rates than years past.

“What is troubling with prostate cancer is that it doesn’t often cause symptoms until it spreads,” Dr. Gange said. “Because early detection and treatment greatly increases the odds of curing the disease it is important for men to talk to their doctor about prostate cancer screenings.”

It is often recommended that a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) be performed to screen for prostate cancer. The PSA test can detect small cancers and a DRE can detect cancer when PSA levels are normal.

For information on dates and times of the free screenings, call UDOH’s Health Resource Line at 1-888-222-2542 or visit UCAN’s website at www.ucan.cc

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